


puppy love

by zombiekittiez



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: College!Age, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Getting Together, M/M, Mild Language, Pining, Roommates, Tsukishima Kei is a Dork, alternate title: stay together for the dog, and bad at feelings, but Kei is king of dorks, but then there's a dog, yams is dorky too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 09:39:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13408524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zombiekittiez/pseuds/zombiekittiez
Summary: “Where did you go? What’s with the tuna mayo? Are you- is that adog?” Yamaguchi stopped. Kei crossed his arms and tried to keep a neutral expression. He was pretty sure that asking before adopting pets was part of being a good roommate. Though probably with the pining and Kei’s generally piss poor attitude, he’d probably been a pretty bad roommate to begin with.“Is he yours?” Yamaguchi asked, eyes huge, hands clasped together nervously.Kei looked at the dog. The dog looked at Kei.“Apparently,” Kei said.





	puppy love

**Author's Note:**

> Headcanon Tsukki is always a barrel of angst that must be stopped. This time it was a dog. 
> 
> Also heads up 7 up, I tried ending this fic like three times but it kept going like LOTR, idk.

Kei hated living in the dorms. He hated the lines for the showers and the masculine musky mildewy smell of too many bodies crammed in a small, stale space. He hated the cafeteria, and the fact that the strawberry shortcake seemed to run out almost before the cafeteria even opened, and that all the savory foods like omelette and spaghetti sauce had too much sugar for his taste. He hated the noise and the pranks and the loud shitty pop music blasting through thin dorm walls. He lost weight and he lost sleep and he lost patience. Yamaguchi found him, mid-semester, with papers spread in a semicircle on the bed, a red marker tucked behind his ear, taking notes furiously on a yellow legal pad.

“Look,” Kei thrust a sheet at him even before Yamaguchi had taken off his jacket. “This one.” 

Yamaguchi studied the paper thoughtfully as he slowly hung up his coat and lined his shoes up at the door. 

“It’s a good location,” Yamaguchi admitted. “And the price is reasonable. It’s a good size. Do you need two bedrooms, though?” 

Kei stared. 

“Um. Did I say something?” Yamaguchi asked, sitting on the edge of Kei’s bed, pushing the piles of paper to the side.

Kei was at a loss. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. Yamaguchi waited patiently. 

“Do you… like it here, then?” Kei managed finally.

“Me? I don’t know that anyone _likes_ the dorms, Tsukki. They’re not meant to be liked, they’re… oh. Oh!” Yamaguchi gave himself a little shake. “Are you- do you want me to move in with you?”

Kei felt his mouth twist unpleasantly and he looked very hard at the window, even though the blinds were down. 

“You don’t... have to. I just thought-” Kei started to say in a low voice, but Yamaguchi reached out, putting a hand on Kei’s knee and leaning in close. 

“No, I want to! I want to, Tsukki.” Yamaguchi said earnestly. He turned back to the paper. “Split two ways, we can definitely afford this. It’s a good building, it’s even pet friendly. And there’s a balcony, and a gas stove, and-” 

But as Yamaguchi spoke, the exact words receded. The place on Kei’s leg where Yamaguchi had touched felt warm, like Yamaguchi’s touch had infused him with something. It had never occurred to Kei that he would have needed to ask- that there was a chance that he would go and Yamaguchi wouldn’t follow. They’d decided on volleyball, they’d decided on Karasuno, they’d decided on Tohoku and the dorms and it dawned on Kei that this unfettered access to Yamaguchi- this steady companionship, this life lived side by side, was finite. There was an expiration date to this, even if they’d always be casual friends, because what Kei wanted wasn’t friendship at all.

Kei was nothing if not pragmatic. He carried on as usual until the semester ended. He attended classes. He attended practice. He attended the occasional outing with his peers. He studied. And most of the time he was able to get through just fine. But then there were other times, like when Kei woke up after passing out during Finals week, curled around his laptop like a long limbed cat in a nest of crumpled notes, so close to Yamaguchi that he could count the freckles scattered across his nose. Kei lay, face against the carpet, memorizing the exact shade of Yamaguchi’s eyelashes, long and coppery, and thinking about how this was all going to end, one day, but Kei knew, just knew, he was never going to love anyone the way that he loved Yamaguchi Tadashi.

When Yamaguchi woke up, there was a jacket draped over him where he laid on the floor, and a fresh cup of coffee steamed nearby. He sipped the liquid, two sugars and a creamer. 

“Better?” Kei asked, looking up as he read over his final draft for the third time.

“Better,” Yamaguchi smiled. Kei memorized that too.

They aced their first semester and packed up and moved. And it shouldn’t have made much of a difference, it was just a place. If anything, it should have been easier on Kei- they would, for example, be in separate bedrooms now, at least. This, Kei figured, would be a stepping stone for Life After Yamaguchi. There would be dating and outside friends and interests and a slow, steady separation that would be for the best. Every day Kei crossed off the date on the calendar in the kitchen and thought, one day less.

And then, of course, there was the dog.

Kei looked at the dog. The dog looked at Kei. It was a medium sized dog with fur that was mostly dark but also anointed at the ears and belly and face with tan and white- spaniel, maybe, from the fur, but his mouth was an open, friendly sort of dog-grin, ears up and alert. Definitely a mutt. The dog was outside the apartment building and had approached as soon as Kei stepped outside, as thought it had been lying in wait for him. Other tenants were coming and going but none spared a look for the animal or the man. Kei looked at the piece of half eaten toast in his hand. He looked back at the dog, who wagged his tail slowly. There was something so appealing about the little begging figure with the big brown eyes. Kei knelt and handed the toast to the dog, who took it between his teeth politely. 

“That’s it,” Kei said, feeling foolish. “That’s as far as this goes.”

Except, of course, the dog was still there on Kei’s walk back home after his shift. Kei looked at the dog where he was curled under the awning of the building, half hidden by the large ornate potted plants that flanked the entrance. He was pretending very hard that he hadn’t spent the whole day thinking about that stupid dog, or about how the weather forecast called for heavy storms that evening, or how much Yamaguchi loved cute animals. He tried not to think about it even when the customers seemed very single minded- asking about books on pet care and Hachiko and stories by Jack London and really, it was the universe conspiring against him. The dog, catching Kei’s eye, wagged his fringed tail. 

“Give me a break,” Kei said under his breath. The dog rose, dancing a little in place.

Kei went into the building. 

“Hey,” Yamaguchi was skimming a text on Art History while cartoons played on the television in the background.

“Hey. Do we have any tuna mayo left?” Kei opened the fridge. Yamaguchi raised an eyebrow. 

“Tsukki, you hate tuna mayo.” 

Kei didn’t respond, digging through the fridge. 

“There’s some tuna mayo onigiri left over from lunch. One of the baristas called out so it was extra busy.” It was Kei’s turn to frown as he opened Yamaguchi’s lunch box and took out his leftovers.

“You need to eat better,” he admonished. 

“Oh? What did _you_ have for lunch, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi asked innocently. 

Kei, with great dignity, took two onigiri and went back downstairs without responding. 

“Look,” Kei said to the dog, who was eating delicately on the sidewalk. “You can’t just live in the bushes outside of my apartment. This neighborhood is too nice. Someone’s going to call the cops on you.”

The dog looked up at Kei and let out a soft whine. 

“I’m a college student. I’m very busy.” Kei answered. 

The dog barked.

“I’m sure you are a nice dog, but that doesn’t mean you can just live wherever you please.” The dog turned to the second onigiri. 

“Excuse me,” a voice said. Kei looked up into the weathered face of a policeman, framed by ominous, dark clouds. “We got a call about a stray hanging around the building. Is this your dog?” 

The dog looked at Kei. Kei looked at the dog.

A single raindrop struck the sidewalk beside the dog’s paw. 

Kei sighed. 

Kei opened the door to the apartment. Yamaguchi jumped up from the couch.

“Where did you go? What’s with the tuna mayo? Are you- is that a _dog?_ ” Yamaguchi stopped. Kei crossed his arms and tried to keep a neutral expression. He was pretty sure that asking before adopting pets was part of being a good roommate. Though probably with the pining and Kei’s generally piss poor attitude, he’d probably been a pretty bad roommate to begin with.

“Is he yours?” Yamaguchi asked, eyes huge, hands clasped together nervously.

Kei looked at the dog. The dog looked at Kei. 

“Apparently,” Kei said. 

Yamaguchi dropped to his knees and held out his arms, making adorable, incomprehensible, encouraging noises. The dog looked at Kei askance. Kei gave a quick nod. The dog then pounced, nuzzling the side of Yamaguchi’s neck and covering his face with long swipes of his tongue. Yamaguchi fell backwards, spread across the floor, legs kicking into the air, peals of delighted laughter filling the room. Kei rolled his eyes out of habit, but couldn’t quite stifle a smile behind his hand. Yamaguchi sat up, a serious expression on his face even as his arms hugged the dog around the neck. 

“I love him. I love this dog.” Yamaguchi said solemnly. “What’s his name?” 

“Rex,” Kei said. 

That night, Rex curled warmly against his perpetually chilly feet, Kei thought to himself that it wasn’t all bad, this dog owning business. It was rather nice not to sleep alone for once- wasn’t pet ownership supposed to increase life expectancy? And anyway this would give him some company, once Yamaguchi came into his own- would keep Kei from coming home to a cold, empty house. Might, Kei thought, putting aside his book, even give him an excuse to start the tedious business of removing himself, just a little, from the Yamaguchi-and-Tsukishima tapestry he’d woven of their friendship and his own selfish desires. 

Step One: Kei decided to start getting up early and take Rex for a run in the mornings, even when he didn’t have class or work first thing. He mentioned it to Yamaguchi casually, that their impromptu breakfasts together on most days off would need to stop.

“Ah, okay. A run sounds good.” Yamaguchi said agreeably. And the next morning, at five thirty, Yamaguchi was sitting on the couch, lacing his sneakers and yawning widely around a soft, sleep mussed smile. And after the grey touched clouds swept the last of the twinkling stars away and they returned to the house, warm with exertion and awake to face the day, Yamaguchi made them cheese omelettes. They ate out on the little balcony with their hot coffee while the sun rose pink and rose and gold all around them, bringing out the chestnut in Yamaguchi’s hair. Their fingers brushed often, reaching to pet Rex, collecting dishes, topping off coffee. Everything felt hushed. Kei kept eye contact for far too long. Yamaguchi blushed attractively.

“This is a nice way to start the day,” Yamaguchi said shyly on his way out the door. 

Fuck, thought Kei.

Step Two: Kei decided to eat at home a little more often, to save money since he had another mouth to feed. Plus, he didn’t like leaving Rex home alone all night. He explained all this with an apologetic smile for his teammates who were clamoring that they were overdue for drinks and dim sum and karaoke.

“Sure, yeah, that makes sense.” Yamaguchi said with a laugh. They went their separate ways. Kei sat at home with a book, Rex’s muzzle heavy on his thigh. He refused to look at the clock. 

Rex let out a low whine in the back of his throat. 

“Don’t you start,” Kei said warningly. 

Rex rubbed the side of his face a little against Kei’s jeans until Kei relented, petting the soft ears with his free hand.

“I know,” Kei said in a low voice. “But we’ve got to get used to it. There’s a lot of late, lonely nights on the way.” 

But the door cracked open while Kei was still on chapter one.

“I brought you some gyoza,” Yamaguchi smiled, toeing off his shoes. 

“You didn’t stay?” Kei asked, laying his book down and accepting the take out bag.

“I missed Rex,” Yamaguchi said casually, stopping to admire the animal who wagged his tail in greeting. “Aw. He’s so cute. I can’t ever get him to lay in my lap like that.”

Kei looked at the wistful expression on Yamaguchi’s face and gave Rex a little push so that he hopped down. Then Kei slid from the couch onto the carpeted floor. He pulled Yamaguchi down beside him so that their legs touched, stretched out across the floor, backs against the couch seat. Kei gestured and Rex circled the coffee table, coming back to stand over Kei, nose cold and pressed into Kei’s shoulder.

“Down,” Kei said. Rex dropped with a sigh, front paws and chest across Kei’s legs, his muzzle resting on Yamaguchi’s lap. Yamaguchi gave a gasp of delight before reaching out to stroke Rex and croon sweet nothings at the patient dog who listened with ears perked. 

“What are you telling him?” Kei asked, book forgotten. 

“All your secrets,” Yamaguchi said importantly, cradling the dog’s head gently in his hands. 

They ended up spending their Saturday night eating take out and watching TV and fussing over the dog and Kei went to bed more in love than ever, goddammit. 

Step 3: Rinse, Repeat. Kei wasn’t sure what he was doing wrong. How was it that Yamaguchi was spending _more_ time with him at the apartment now that Kei hardly left at all? Yamaguchi should have gotten bored by now, should have met someone by now, should be going on dates and staying out late to drink with friends, should be skipping their morning runs to sleep off hangovers and sleepovers and not be testing out recipes for cranberry muffins and chocolate chip pancakes and cinnamon hot chocolate, watching sunrises and sunsets and winding Kei tighter and tighter and tighter around his finger with every careless smile.

“I was thinking about making hot pot for dinner,” Yamaguchi said, flipping through a store flyer. “It looks like most of the ingredients are on sale. Want to stop on Rex’s walk later?”

“It isn’t boring?” Kei asked, looking around their apartment.

“Hot pot isn’t boring, it’s classic.” Yamaguchi assured.

“I mean… staying in all the time with us.” Kei said. He was stroking Rex’s ears and not looking up.

“I like it,” Yamaguchi said, surprised. “The dorms… we were always out doing things. We always had to be out doing things, running to the cafeteria or sharing the bath… it didn’t feel like a real home, you know? But here, making dinner and spending time with you guys… it’s fun, isn’t it?” Yamaguchi’s expression faltered. “Unless… maybe you want more space?”

“No,” Kei said to Rex. “Nothing like that.”

“Oh.” Yamaguchi sounded pleased. “I’ll cook tonight if you help me review for Statistics. I have a quiz coming up.” 

“Of course,” Kei said.

Later, Kei waited outside with the dog while Yamaguchi popped into the shop, his list at the ready.

“Ten minutes or less, want to bet on it?” Yamaguchi asked, grinning. The wind blew a little, sending strands of Yamaguchi’s hair across his face. Kei’s fingers itched to push it back gently behind his ears, to run a hand along Yamaguchi’s sharp jawline, to- 

Rex barked and Yamaguchi disappeared into the building.

“Thanks,” Kei muttered. Rex gave a little snort.

At home, Kei leaned against the cabinet, flashcards in hand, quizzing Yamaguchi as he stirred a large pot on the stovetop. Rex lay in the hallway, his muzzle poked mournfully just outside the room, looking a bit pitiful. The kitchen was small and he was not permitted inside while there was cooking. It was too dangerous. They ate together in the main room, at the low table where Kei gave Yamaguchi exasperated, fond looks as Yamaguchi none-too-sneakily slipped bits to Rex. 

“You’re spoiling him,” Kei warned.

“I’m going to win him away so he loves me better than you,” Yamaguchi informed him cheekily. 

“Wouldn’t be that hard,” Kei said softly. Yamaguchi looked up sharply. “People do,” Kei added, businesslike, reaching for their empty dishes. He went into the kitchen and began running the water gently. He heard a soft murmuring from the other room and leaned a little out of the kitchen doorway.

Yamaguchi was holding Rex’s head between his hands and having a low conversation. Rex was wagging his tail in response.

“-and the worse part is, he probably really believes that.”

They ended up on the couch, like most nights, sharing space and dog. But it had been a long week and the movie they were watching was less than thrilling. One moment they were sitting and watching and laughing and the next Kei was blinking, raising his head from where he’d pillowed it on his arms. He felt completely warm and gently pinned; shifting slightly he saw that he was caught against the back of the sofa, Yamaguchi curled into his side, face buried in Kei’s chest, hands caught in the fabric of Kei’s shirt. Rex, sprawled across both of their feet, wagged his tail gently.

“Traitor,” Kei said over Yamaguchi’s head.

Rex lay his head back down indifferently.

“Yamaguchi,” Kei said, trying to gently detach his friend.

“Five more minutes, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi murmured, burying his face against Kei’s collarbone.

Kei gave him twenty. 

“I must be losing my mind,” Kei ground out between his teeth, “if I’m calling _you_ for advice.” 

“Okay, I’m sorry- jeez, don’t be so uncute.” Akiteru stifled his laughter on the other end. “It’s just… look at this objectively. You’ve got a job you like and you’re keeping up fantastic grades and volleyball and living this…. domestic fantasy in your own apartment with the person you love and you even have a _dog_ together, and you’re afraid to just enjoy it because you’re overthinking.” 

“Overthinking,” Kei repeated flatly. 

“Yes, overthinking. It’s _Tadashi,_ Kei. You really think he’s going to leave you? Because, what, you’re enjoying his company a little too much?” 

“It’s childish to think you can be with someone forever,” Kei sulked. 

“Is it?” Akiteru asked, his voice soft. “I think it’s pretty human.”

Kei was unable to respond.

“So!” Akiteru’s voice brightened. “When do I get to meet my doggy nephew?”

When Kei hung up the phone, he sat in the dark in his room for a long time. Yamaguchi was working a closing shift at the cafe, so it was his turn to make dinner, but Kei couldn’t quite bring himself to get up just yet. Rex, sensing Kei’s discomfort, walked over to lay his head on Kei’s knee.

“What do you think I should do?” Kei asked.

Rex wagged his tail.

“That’s a terrible idea,” Kei responded.

Rex barked. 

“Easy for you to say,” Kei rolled his eyes. “He loves _you._ ” 

Rex fixed Kei with an unwavering stare.

“God. Fine.” Kei stood up.

When Yamaguchi came home, the house was dim. Rex stood in the foyer, wagging his tail in greeting. Wordlessly, Yamaguchi knelt, arms open. Rex stepped into the embrace, laying his head against Yamaguchi’s shoulder as Yamaguchi wrapped the animal into a warm hug. 

Kei stood in the doorway to the kitchen, fiddling with his cufflinks. He was dressed in his nicest shirt- the blue green that Yamaguchi had gushed really brought out his eyes, paired with his dark gray slacks. A soft glow floated in from the kitchen where he’d dragged their low table and set up Yamaguchi’s favorite tempura udon take out in the nice bowls, surrounded by candles. Kei gave one more quick, appraising glance around before scooping up the bouquet of daisy flowers from the counter and waiting with baited breath.

When Yamaguchi looked up, his eyes were full of tears. 

Kei thrust the flowers behind his back. “Um,” he said, alarmed. 

“Tsukki,” Yamaguchi said thickly. “I- I... “ 

“Was it something I did?” Kei asked. His hands were shaking. He had to be the only person in the history of the world to get rejected before he even had a chance to confess. 

Yamaguchi gave a choking little laugh, eyes focused back on Rex. 

“No, Tsukki. God no. You’re _perfect._ It’s me, it’s always been me.”

“It’s not you, it’s me.” Kei said slowly. He could feel the blood draining out of his face.

“It’s this apartment. We’re eating meals together and going for walks and doing chores and spending all this time together and I…” 

Yamaguchi looked up. For the first time, he seemed to register what Kei was wearing- the light from the kitchen. The flowers behind his back. 

“Tsukki?” Yamaguchi asked. 

“What? This? No, it’s uh, nothing, forget it, I was just-” Kei spun on his heels, blowing out the nearest candle and throwing the flowers into the sink before whirling back around in a panic. 

“You were saying?” Kei said, leaning against the doorway in fake nonchalance.

“I…. love... “ Yamaguchi was looking up through his eyelashes. 

“...Rex.” 

“Rex.” Kei repeated. 

“I just…. Love him. So much.” Yamaguchi said, rising to his feet, one hand still on Rex’s back. 

“Oh?” Kei took a step further into the room. A soft, warm wash of something that felt suspiciously like hope churned in his stomach. 

“And Hinata called when I was headed home from work and we were talking about the new place and how great it is… living with… Rex… and then I realized… you know… that I never want to live anywhere else.”

“What brought this on?” Kei asked, voice low.

“Grad school. I know it isn’t right away, but I’ve been looking into programs and it looks like the best ones aren’t anywhere near Miyagi. I’ll have to m-move. Maybe to Tokyo. And I know it’s selfish, but I just can’t be away from… Rex.” Yamaguchi’s eyes were fixed on the floor. Kei stepped closer.

“So you want to move to Tokyo and take my dog.”

“Tsukki.” Yamaguchi looked up, eyes reproachful. “We’d have to stay together. For Rex.”

Kei huffed a soft laugh as his hands came up, resting on Yamaguchi’s shoulders. 

“Because you’re in love with Rex.” 

“Tsukki-”

And Kei kissed him. He leaned forward and pressed their mouths together, sliding his hands up alongside Yamaguchi’s neck and the attractive edge of his jaw, cupping his face and trying, through the slide of lips and soft breath, to convey every warm feeling into the motion. Yamaguchi melted, hands resting on Kei’s chest, tilting his head back and just letting himself be kissed, mouth pliant and parted and wet. 

“Tsukki,” Yamaguchi gasped suddenly, pulling a little away. “If you don’t- I don’t want you to feel, you know, _obligated_ just because I-”

“Close your eyes,” Kei said confidently. Yamaguchi obeyed without hesitation. Kei took both of Yamaguchi’s hands and led him into the kitchen. He fumbled with the matches. There was the crinkling of plastic.

“T-Tadashi,” Kei’s voice betrayed his nervousness.

Yamaguchi opened his eyes. He took in the kitchen, dimly lit. The low table with newly lit candles. The steaming udon. The open bottle of wine. Kei, holding out a bouquet of slightly crumpled daisies.

“I love you,” Kei said.

That time, Yamaguchi kissed _him._

Kei loved their little apartment. He loved the crack in the window in the background that vaguely looked like an ominous figure late at night, when he was half asleep. He loved the floors which were always a little too cold for bare feet. He loved the kitchen with the back left burner that never seemed to want to light and the freezer that would stay ajar unless closed at a certain angle. He loved their tiny bedrooms and the fact that neither bed was really big enough for two men their size and a dog and he loved that that never kept them from trying anyway. He thought about how much he’d loved that apartment- about all the days spent on their balcony over breakfast, about finding Rex on the street outside- as they packed up the moving van headed for Tokyo.

”Do you regret it?” Yamaguchi asked in the driver’s seat, a little nervously.

And Kei knew he meant leaving, meant Miyagi and Tokyo and finding work with a publishing firm in the city, giving up their lease, increasing the distance between home and himself by an extra three hours by train. Kei looked around the van, at the happy dog face of Rex, strapped into the back seat and excited to go for a ride, and at Yamaguchi, who had gotten an internship as an Archivist in one of the best museums in the country and felt nothing but pride.

”Not even a little bit,” Kei said, lifting Yamaguchi's hand and pressing a quick kiss to his fingers. “Let’s go live happily ever after or whatever.”

And they did.

**Author's Note:**

> BONUS: Rex's full doggo name is Tyrannosaurus Rex. Yamaguchi doesn't find out till he takes Rex in to get chipped at a vet in Tokyo and he immediately tells everyone.


End file.
